Study finds growing support for University of Illinois hockey team

Thursday

Mar 8, 2018 at 1:08 PM

Journal Star news services

CHAMPAIGN — A new feasibility study shows growing enthusiasm for a Division I hockey team at the University of Illinois.

The National Hockey League, the National Hockey League Players Association and College Hockey Inc. commissioned the study in June 2017. College Hockey Inc. executive director Mike Smee says the consensus found that "NCAA men's hockey will flourish" at Illinois.

“From the number of native Illinois players currently playing college hockey to the continued growth of youth hockey players in the state, there are many reasons to be confident that the Fighting Illini could quickly become a top national program and sustain it every year," Smee said.

The study recommended building a new arena in downtown Champaign for hockey, volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling.

The athletics department says in a news release accompanying the study released Thursday that it's not yet prepared to make a decision about adding hockey as a varsity sport. The school said it would happen only if it could "successfully fund the program and receive needed support" from the campus and community.

Illinois has the sixth-highest youth hockey participation in the nation (22,373 in 2017), which has grown exponentially with an increase of nearly 300 percent since 1993. The state also produces the fourth-most Division I hockey players in the country, with 85 players from Illinois currently competing for D-I teams. Despite such participation mixed with quality players, hockey is not sponsored by any Division I school in the state.

The Big Ten started its own men's hockey league after Penn State added a program in 2012, giving the conference the minimum six teams needed to qualify for an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.